The Birthday Ball
by DevilPup
Summary: Tristan invites Rory to the Birthday Ball. Chiltonverse. Trory.


-1Hey! Yeah, I know, another story, when I should be working on Nightmare… well, that's in the beta-ing process, and I'm not about to rush my beta. However, here is a little Trory goodness to tide you over. It's nothing spectacular. Just something I wanted to write. Today, 11/10, is the Marine Corps Birthday. I was inspired by my High School's Birthday Ball to write a one-shot about what would have happened if Tristan invited Rory to his Military Schools, way back when.

Things to know:

No, this is not a real school, however, O'Bannon is a real Marine hero. So is Lejuene.

19:00-0:00 is 7pm-12am.

CoverUniform hat.

Tristan is wearing Dress Blues.

The song is K-Ci & Jojo's "All My Life"

Birthday Balls are really magical with the love-life-ness…

Okay, story time:

**The Birthday Ball**

By Breanne.

_**You are cordially invited**_

_**To the O'Bannon Military Academy's**_

_**Marine Corps' Birthday Ball**_

_**On Saturday, November 10, 2001**_

_**In the Lejuene Ceremony Hall**_

_**From 19:00 - 0:00**_

_**Please RSVP by November 5.**_

The simple invitation addressed to one Lorelai Gilmore II & Lorelai Gilmore III, had both Gilmore girls a bit confused at first, but is the reason the two were currently on a plane to North Carolina. Rory was apprehensive of the whole thing. Having recently broken up with Dean and admittedly missing Tristan, she was well aware of her vulnerabilities. Lorelai however, was, well, ecstatic. She liked getting dressed for a ball as much as the next girl. She simply hated Hartford Society. She was also curious to see what would happen between Rory and Tristan.

The simple invitation was also the reason that one Tristan DuGrey was currently sitting in a North Carolina airport awaiting the arrival of the Gilmore Girls. His friends had convinced him to send Rory an invitation to the Ball to give her a chance to see how much he's changed. They were also the ones who suggested that he invite her mother. She couldn't really say no if her mother said yes. He liked the way his friends thought. Except, now his stomach was doing flips thinking of her arrival. He was nervous beyond belief. Lorelai had called him and told him they'd be coming. And that she'd recently broken up with Dean. He still wasn't sure why her mother told him this, but he didn't question it. On the inside, he was jumping for joy.

They were landing. Rory felt the butterflies in her stomach gain hammers as they began beating against her insides. She wanted to stay on the plan as long as she could, and avoid this as long as she could. She was nervous beyond compare at the moment. What if she didn't live up to his memory of her? What if he was still the arrogant ass he was before he'd left and therefore she'd find herself hating him all over again? Oh well, she couldn't change the fact that she was here, nor could she run away, because there he was, standing at the luggage claim, looking adorable in his uniform, looking for her.

They were landing, the speaker announced to him. Tristan shakily stood, and headed for the baggage claim, where he'd arranged to meet them. He was nervous. What if she wasn't the same? What if she wasn't his Mary anymore? If without him there, Chilton had jaded her? Or what if she was the same, and still hated him? No, he reminded himself, she wouldn't be here if she hated you that much. But, what if they changed their minds and didn't get on the plane? These thoughts raced through his head as he searched for them. Finally, he saw them, or her rather, as his attention was focused solely on her. She was smiling at him, and he returned the smile as he began walking toward her.

He was walking toward her with a gorgeous smile on his face that made her melt. She felt the butterflies increase, but the smile on her own face wouldn't go away either. It was almost painful how brightly she was smiling as she met him half way.

She was walking toward him with the beautiful smile that always drew him in. His stomach continued its flips, although all doubts were suddenly wiped from his mind. The walk toward her seemed to take forever to him.

They finally met half-way.

"Hi." She said, smiling shyly at him.

"Hey." He replied, on hand in his pocket, the other running over his buzz-cut.

"Tristan." Lorelai greeted, sticking out her hand.

"Ms. Gilmore." He shook her hand.

"Please, Lorelai." She replied.

"Noted." He nodded his head in understanding, but his eyes and returned to Rory's.

"So, Mary, what's new?" He asked as he led them to the Jeep. He'd borrowed his commander's car to come get them.

"Paris and I are friends." She replied. He was surprised. "I know. But we are. Tentatively, but we are."

"That's great. How's everyone?" Everyone was great. The small talk was killing them. "So, what happened after I left that night?"

"Paris played Romeo…" She trailed off.

"And?" He urged.

"Dean and I broke up and few weeks later." She replied, not looking at him.

"Why?" Her eyes met his in the rearview mirror.

"It was just time." He accepted the answer. He moved on to other conversation with Lorelai. Eventually the girls began talking, and he listened, laughed, and drove.

As he dropped them off at their hotel, he informed them he'd be hack in 2 hours to get them for the ball. They complained it wasn't enough time. He smiled and drove off. True to his word, 2 hours later, he was knocking on the door of their hotel room.

"One minute!" He heard the frazzled voice of Lorelai call. A moment later, she pulled open the door, her make half done. "Hi. We aren't ready yet." Half-way through her sentence she was already back in the bathroom finishing.

"Ha! Done first. Told you." He heard Rory declare proudly.

"Not fair! I answered the door."

"Well, that's your fault. He could have waited."

"You should've answered the door."

"I'd have still been done first, 'cause you're not even done yet!" Rory laughed as she exited the bathroom.

Taking in the sight of her, Tristan's jaw hit the floor. The dark blue dress fell to the floor and pooled slightly across it. The thin straps held the lower-than-expected-front up. Her hair was free flowing curls, cascading down her back. Her make-up was natural, except the light blue eye-shadow on her lids.

Taking in the sight of him, Rory felt her breath escape her. The dress blue uniform fit him perfectly, making him look more handsome than she'd ever imagined. He held a white cover in his gloved hands, while what little hair he had was gelled upward.

"You look… amazing…" He managed to stutter. She blushed, as expected.

"You look quite handsome yourself." She managed to speak in full sentences.

"And what of the gorgeous mother, how does she look?" Lorelai asked breaking the moment between the two.

"Absolutely stunning, Lorelai." He replied, his eyes never leaving Rory's.

Well aware of where his attention laid, Lorelai responded anyway, "Why thank you. Alright, let's go, we're going to be late!"

Tristan laughed and escorted the two girls to the Jeep he once again had waiting. In the car, though were two other guys, dressed the same as Tristan.

"Ladies, these are my friends Shane Post and Josh Simmons. Post, Simmons, these are Lorelai and Rory Gilmore."

"I thought you said it was Rory's mother, not her sister…" Josh asked, rather confused.

"Aren't you sweet. I am her mother."

"Oh, shit." Josh and Shane's mouths dropped open comically as they checked her out.

"Oh, Rory, Mommy likes Tristan's friends." Rory and Tristan laughed.

Rory and Tristan hadn't said much to one another all night. They'd shared glances, they'd shared stories from Chilton with all of Tristan's friends. They in turn shared stories of military school with her. But the two hadn't had a personal conversation yet.

"Lorelai, would you do me the honor of dancing with me?" One of Tristan's friends asked. Rory rolled her eyes at her mother's over dramatic response.

"What about you, Mare? Would you like to dance?" Rory nodded.

As they began dancing the song changed. Tristan laughed at the irony he saw, while Rory listened to the song.

"What's so funny?" Rory looked up at him with questioning eyes.

"Just find it ironic." He replied.

"What?"

"The song."

"What about it?" She was confused.

He began singing softly along with the song,

"And all my life  
I've prayed for someone like you  
And I thank God that I, that I finally found you  
All my life  
I've prayed for someone like you  
And I hope that you feel the same way too  
Yes, I pray that you do love me too

I said you're all that I'm thinkin' of...baby 

Said, I promise to never fall in love with a stranger…" He trailed off as the song continued. He stared down at her, as her eyes shimmered up at him.

"It just… it fits how I feel."

"Oh." Was all she managed to reply.

"Rory, I know I was a jerk to you, but I didn't know how to show you how I felt. I wasn't used to feeling like this. It scared me."

"Tris-"

"And I know I haven't seen you in 6 months, but seeing you now, I know I still feel the same, and I know it's real."

"Tris-"

"And I was hoping you'd give me a chance. I'm not the same jerk I was. I've grown up a lot, matured, learned humility. I can iron!"

"Tris… wow, you can iron? That is a great selling point." She couldn't help but make the joke. She smiled up at him while he blushed just a little. Here he was pouring out his heart, and she was mocking him. Although, admittedly, he knew it was an inane comment to make in the first place. "Now that I can speak," she joked lightly, "You know, you still owe me a kiss."

"I… what?" He was confused now.

"You said you'd kiss me, but my boyfriend was watching. No boyfriend." He smiled at her, before giving her the best, most intense, earth shattering, bone melting, sole searing kiss of her life.

"Now you can't kiss me." She replied.

"Why not?" He panicked, thinking he'd messed up the kiss or something. He'd thought it was a great kiss.

"Because now my boyfriend's watching…" She giggled at him.

"What? Who? Huh?" He looked around for a moment before he realized what she'd said. "Wait, really?" She nodded. He kissed her again, twirling her around in the process.

As they pulled apart, she became serious again. "You better not mess up, Tris. One mistake and your butt is on the curb. Got it?"

"Absolutely." He breathed into her hair, holding her to him.

They'd told him that the Birthday Ball was always good luck for relationships. Something good always came out of it. Whether it seemed good or bad at first, it was always good in the end. He doubted them at first. But now, now he believed them whole-heartedly. The Birthday Ball was definitely magic. 

-

-

Proof of the magical-ness:

Freshman year: I flirted with my first boyfriend all night, he asked me out the next time we saw each other.

Sophomore year: My then-boyfriend kissed me for the first time while on the dance floor.

Junior year: My first boyfriend and I got into major drama that night when his soon-to-be girlfriend started crying because 'I was saying shit' since he and I were _trying_ to get back together. I'm very happy we didn't this night causing the not getting back together-ness because then I met my next boyfriend, a few weeks later.

Senior year (two night ago): My best friend who I've been torn between dating and staying friends with was my date, and we ended up having a long ass conversation (then danced to All My Life, having a similar conversation to the Trory one) and are now sorta dating.

See, proof. Magical goodness for the love life. At least mine anyways:D


End file.
